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by tfloosh



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 07:43:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11619060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tfloosh/pseuds/tfloosh
Summary: For Link, Zelda has always been his home. As he goes off to war, he promises to come back to her, to come back home.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Zelink Week way back in 2015. This was one of my favorite stories to write :)

Link looked back toward the castle. From his position on Epona, he could just see the balcony where Princess Zelda stood. He let out one last sigh and turned away from his home. Zelda had not wanted him to leave, but as General of the Hyrulean Army, Link was needed to lead the soldiers into battle. Zelda had argued against her father to keep Link at home, but Mayor Plen of Labrynna had specifically requested the renowned general from Hyrule to aid him in his fight against Holodrum.

Link marched with his small company of soldiers to the Labrynnan border. He had only just left, but he already couldn’t wait to turn around and go home. It would take a week for them to reach Lynna City, then they would spend Goddess knows how long fighting against Holodrum then another week or so to return. He could be gone for months. He tried not to let his sadness show; it wouldn’t be good for the soldiers to see him like that, but he couldn’t help but think of Zelda.

They had been childhood friends, and after Link’s father, a well-respected knight in the King’s Guard, died leaving him alone, the king had taken Link in as his ward. He had grown even closer to the princess, and they quickly became constant companions. You would never find one child without the other far behind. Link smiled at the memory; he knew it was then that he had fallen in love. As they grew older, the king could see the undeniable connection between the two of them, and he officially gave Link permission to court the princess.

Whenever they were together, everyone’s eyes were drawn to them. Link and Zelda seemed to fit together flawlessly. They were completely in sync when they trained out in the courtyard, danced at a celebratory ball, or simply sat reading together in the library. Eventually, Link proposed, and what was dubbed the wedding of the century by the uppity noble ladies took place.

But that was less than a year ago now. Link sighed keeping his gaze forward in the saddle. Hyrule had been at peace for so long, yet now they were basically going off to fight Holodrum for Labrynna. Even the king didn’t like it, but the treaty between Labrynna and Hyrule stated that Labrynna could call on Hyrule for military help. Hyrule was honor bound to help or risk war with their small western neighbor.

The sun was already setting when Link called for the company to make camp for the night. They had made good time; at this rate they could make it to Lynna City a day early. Link looked back in the direction of Castletown. He would come back to his princess, just as he promised.

* * *

 

Zelda made her usual morning pit stop on the balcony above the main entrance to the castle. She made this balcony a detour on her walk from breakfast to her office because she would easily be able to see if any messengers were arriving through the front gate. Usually one was sent each week to update the king on the war in Labrynna.

In the past three and a half months, General Link had been able to push the Holodrum army out of Labrynna and was currently beating them back to Horon Village. The messengers often recounted the many duels that had occurred between General Link and the Holodrum General Onox. Each time Link had been victorious by the skin of his teeth, but Zelda knew the messengers liked to exaggerate those parts of the battle.

But today there was no messenger that Zelda could see. She walked on to her office thinking about her last conversation with Link.

“I promise I’ll return,” he had said giving her a quick and passionate kiss. “I’ll always come back home to you.”

Zelda sighed. The castle seemed so much less like home without Link there. She prayed that he would be back soon. Zelda tried to focus on her work that morning, but her mind was determined to worry about Link. She took lunch in her study, and finally gave up on her work as the sun was setting. She walked back to her bed chambers via the balcony above the main doors. She walked slowly, unwilling to go back to her empty room. Zelda lingered on the balcony, leaning against the railing and watching the sun set and missing her husband.

Suddenly, Zelda stood bolt upright. Either her tired eyes were playing tricks on her or there was a messenger riding fast and hard toward Castletown. She hesitated just long enough to make sure she wasn’t imagining things before running down the stairs in a most un-princess-like manner. She bolted into her father’s study and yelled that a messenger was approaching.

Zelda ran out to the main entrance, praying to all three Goddesses that the rider was arriving with good news. She waited with baited breath as some of the other castle staff and her father joined her out on the front steps of the castle. The messenger rode up to the castle, and Zelda nearly fainted when she saw the grin on his face.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness,” the rider bowed to the king and princess. “The Second Company of the Hyrulean Royal Army returns victorious.”

The people standing on the steps cheered at the joyous news, but Zelda stepped forward.

“And what of General Link?” she asked nervously.

“The general rode at the head of his army, and slew the traitor General Onox when it was discovered he was working with forces of dark magic,” the messenger announced. “The general was awarded with the highest honors by the Mayor of Lynna City, and promptly announced that he needed to return to his wife.”

Zelda blushed but couldn’t stop her face from breaking out in an enormous grin.

“How far away is the company?” the king asked.

“I was not fifteen minutes ahead of them,” the messenger said.

“But that means-” Zelda began but stopped when she heard the distinct clip-clop of horse hooves. She took off running again, sprinting to the castle gates. And there she saw him. Riding at the head of the company was her husband. Link looked a little worse for wear but not seriously injured. He jumped off Epona as soon as he saw her.

Zelda ran into his arms, and Link picked her up and spun her around twice.

“I told you I’d come back home,” Link whispered before kissing her.


End file.
